Many people are known to have episodes of insomnia or being sleepless. Sauch spells may last for some days. In a few instances, you may end up being sleepless for several days at a stretch. Those who are experiencing high levels of stress are known to have insomnia. Symptoms of being an insomnia include waking up at oddly earlier hours, having difficulties in falling asleep, staying tired while you are awake, etc. Your doctor may prescribe meds like quetiapine to make you sleep well. But, is 200 mg of quetiapine a high dose? It can be useful to have needful inputs.
If you are having a condition called insomnia, it will make it difficult for you to sleep at night. Sleeplessness can take many forms: some wake up earlier than all else and many may have difficulties in going back to sleep. It can make you feel tired all through the daytime. Typically, you need more than 8 hours of sleep each night. If you not sleeping for at least 8 hours, you may not have the energy needed for physical as well as mental activities.
In this milieu, what is quetiapine?
This drug is prescribed for the treatment of manic spells as well as mental conditions like schizophrenia. A few physicians administer it to manage signs of bipolar conditions. Essential ingredients of quetiapine normalise the presence of transmitters in your brain. Owing to this property, it is labelled under a category of drugs called atypical antipsychotics.
Quetiapine
Your caregivers may administer this atypical antipsychotic med either as a stand-alone drug or with meds like lithium. Some physicians prescribe it to manage an irritated state of mind, being over-excited, being depressed and few such mood-related conditions.
Maximum dose of quetiapine in 24 hours
Dosage of Quetiapine to make you sleep can hover in between 50 – 100 milligrams (mg). You need to remember that it does not possess the clearance of the food & drug administration (FDA) for sleep-based disorders. But as quetiapine has sedative properties, doctors administer it to manage short-term episodes of insomnia. It is worthwhile to know such uses are taken up through an off-label route.
Larger dosage forms of quetiapine – like more than 150 mg may cause a few severe side effects. These include muscular spasms, excessive level of drowsiness, turning anxious. Higher doses of quetiapine can also cause an inexplicable and sudden increase in body weight; some users have witnessed spells of being dehydrated and increase in blood cholesterol level. Insulin resistance is another adverse effect of taking 200 mg of quetiapine.
200 mg of quetiapine is indeed a high dose. Such doses are not usually given to people who remain sleepless during nights. Always remember that quetiapine is not an over the counter i.e., OTC medication. Its dosages need to be taken as per medication plans, offered by a certified sleep therapist or a qualified medical professional.
Approaches you can use to have a sound sleep
There are several options available to make you have a goodnight’s sleep. Your caregiver may suggest options like changes to your daily activities, intake of sleeping aids or supplements, behavioral therapies, etc. As a last resort, meds like doxepin or zolpidem are prescribed.
As meds like doxepin are habit forming, you may develop dependencies. Hence, you are not advised to use meds like zolpidem or doxepin over the long term. Some caregivers may provide you with sleeping aids such as melatonin or other such supplements.
You may also try natural sleep catalysts like valerian root and / or lavender. It is always a safe thing to speak with your caregiver before administering any of these natural remedies. Some sleep-promoting supplements may work adversely if taken with a few drugs like quetiapine. So, it becomes important to talk to your treating physician to know the likely risks of drug interactions.
Disclaimer
Information provided here are only of supplementary nature. Information shared here does not substitute a qualified doctor’s advice. This website is not suggesting intake of this drug as safe or appropriate. Hence it is advised to talk to your doctor before consuming this med or any other drug.
Education: Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Michigan. Experience: Over 8 years of experience writing for health and wellness websites, including WebMD and Healthline, specializing in women’s health and nutrition.
